Ueno Park

Ueno Park is a large park in Tokyo that includes some large ponds where a number of waterfowl species can be seen up close. The park also houses the zoo and a museum. It is well known for its boisterous cherry blossom festivals, with one road lined entirely in cherry blossoms. I enjoyed getting to see a number of birds up close that I usually don't get to see, as well as a few familiar friends.

Unfortunately I only had a couple of hours for people and wildlife watching before catching the train back to my hotel, as I was flying back to the United States in the afternoon.

Tufted Ducks

Serenity Now, Serenity Now Not only my favorite tufted duck picture, and not only my favorite picture from my trip to Japan, but one of my favorites of all my duck pictures. This male was resting in still waters, opening his eyes briefly to gauge my intentions and revealing his bright yellow eyes. The park itself was quite crowded with people and not nearly as serene as the picture might suggest.

Tuft Guy A male sleeps with a couple of fallen cherry blossoms floating in the water. The tuft of feathers (the ponytail-like extension) that gives the duck its name can be clearly seen here, extending out from the back of the duck's head. Only the male has the full tuft, and sometimes it can be hard to see, especially if the duck has just surfaced and the feathers are still wet. You can also see a small insect on the duck's flank.

The Short Straw As is typical of many duck species, female tufted ducks are rather drab compared to the males. She sports a small tuft at the back of her head, a strong white patch of feathers at the base of the bill, and a bright yellow eye, but is otherwise cloaked in various shades of brown.

People in the Park

	Kitten on a Leash This gentleman was sitting next to the lake with a playful kitten on a leash. He and I shared a laugh as his kitten was quite responsive to me petting it, a suitable proxy until I'd see Templeton and Scout after the long trip home.
	A Few Days and a Few Hours Ueno Park is famous for its cherry blossom celebrations. This road is lined with cherry trees, most of which were a few days away from blooming. An event I missed as unfortunately I was a few hours away from flying home. You can see that a few trees had started to bloom, and many people had already started staking out their places under the trees. Once back in Portland, on the way home from the airport, I had to smile when I noticed that a number of cherry trees in our neighborhood were blooming ...
	Pampered Traveling internationally is a mixture of the familiar and the strange. Ueno Park offered plenty of both. Riding the subway wasn't that different from riding Portland's MAX once i figured out how to buy my ticket. The park had wildlife, pigeons, families, and homeless just like the urban parks back home. And this friendly little dog made me laugh and reminded me that Americans aren't the only one who pamper their pets.

The buildings of Tokyo are never far from sight in this urban park. The reeds in the center of the lake can be seen, which a variety of birds seemed to be using for shelter.